2 years ago
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Farewell 2023
It has been awhile since I have published a blog post. This is just a test to see if my blog is still active. Farewell to 2023 as we usher in a new year!
Friday, January 30, 2015
Feeling Empty
It has been way too long since I blogged! This used to be my outlet. I LOVED blogging! I LOVED preserving the memories! Blogging helped me see the joy in the every day as a stay-at-home mom. But I think the past two years just got the best of me...pregnancy, morning sickness, searching for a new home, packing and moving (while pregnant I might add), my first cesarean birth, post-partum blues that lasted way too long the third time around, a baby that literally woke every 30-45 minutes for months and homeschooling in the midst of it all!
I am definitely in a much better place than I was a year ago, but I'm still feeling empty. I really think I thought that "bigger" house would make me happier. Instead, I am missing everything about our first home. I miss the quaintness. That old house had our personality written all over it. I miss the memories that we made there. I miss the backyard where I could watch my children play outside while I cooked dinner in the kitchen. I miss that we were all crammed together in a tight space. I miss my kitchen, boy do I miss my kitchen! I miss that my girls could SEE their daddy pull up in the driveway in the evenings instead of HEAR the garage door open. They loved running to greet their daddy at the front door or even on the driveway. I miss our wonderful neighbors from all walks of life. I miss our church home. I miss piling both girls into the car in the rain because we didn't have a garage! I miss the tall oak trees. I miss watching my girls gather acorns every fall. I miss the 5 minute commute to Chick-fil-A, Target and the grocery store. I miss our weekly outings to CBS. I miss being only 20 minutes from the zoo and only 15 minutes from Fernbank. I miss my husband's relatively short commute. I miss that smaller mortgage payment. I miss living small!
I have questioned many, many times why we chose to move where we moved. I often wonder if I followed my own selfish desires and wishes or God's direction.
I am beyond thankful for our new homeschooling community. And I have developed friendships unlike any that I have had since college. My childhood best friend and college best friends will always be those friends forever! I truly have no doubt about that, especially when you can pick up right where you left off no matter how long it has been since you last talked. But then you long for friends in those different seasons of your life. As a mom, you long for those friendships with other moms who live in the same community and hope that your children will actually get along with their children. So surely this is God's hand in it all.
But some days are just harder than others as I experience feelings of regret over the past few years of my life. I cling to the what ifs of yesterday instead of the joys of tomorrow. I long to start over and do things differently. I swore I'd do everything I could to have no regrets with my husband and children, but those regrets are real and they linger.
As I try to decipher God's plan for my life, I know I need to submit everything to Him. Surely He has a purpose for us here. And I know that in order to fill that emptiness, I need to seek Him. But the emptiness is still so real.
I am definitely in a much better place than I was a year ago, but I'm still feeling empty. I really think I thought that "bigger" house would make me happier. Instead, I am missing everything about our first home. I miss the quaintness. That old house had our personality written all over it. I miss the memories that we made there. I miss the backyard where I could watch my children play outside while I cooked dinner in the kitchen. I miss that we were all crammed together in a tight space. I miss my kitchen, boy do I miss my kitchen! I miss that my girls could SEE their daddy pull up in the driveway in the evenings instead of HEAR the garage door open. They loved running to greet their daddy at the front door or even on the driveway. I miss our wonderful neighbors from all walks of life. I miss our church home. I miss piling both girls into the car in the rain because we didn't have a garage! I miss the tall oak trees. I miss watching my girls gather acorns every fall. I miss the 5 minute commute to Chick-fil-A, Target and the grocery store. I miss our weekly outings to CBS. I miss being only 20 minutes from the zoo and only 15 minutes from Fernbank. I miss my husband's relatively short commute. I miss that smaller mortgage payment. I miss living small!
I have questioned many, many times why we chose to move where we moved. I often wonder if I followed my own selfish desires and wishes or God's direction.
I am beyond thankful for our new homeschooling community. And I have developed friendships unlike any that I have had since college. My childhood best friend and college best friends will always be those friends forever! I truly have no doubt about that, especially when you can pick up right where you left off no matter how long it has been since you last talked. But then you long for friends in those different seasons of your life. As a mom, you long for those friendships with other moms who live in the same community and hope that your children will actually get along with their children. So surely this is God's hand in it all.
But some days are just harder than others as I experience feelings of regret over the past few years of my life. I cling to the what ifs of yesterday instead of the joys of tomorrow. I long to start over and do things differently. I swore I'd do everything I could to have no regrets with my husband and children, but those regrets are real and they linger.
As I try to decipher God's plan for my life, I know I need to submit everything to Him. Surely He has a purpose for us here. And I know that in order to fill that emptiness, I need to seek Him. But the emptiness is still so real.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Popsicle Stick Nail File
The years are fleeting, especially with two children in tow. But when you take a moment to watch those precious little ones, they can often bring a smile to your face...especially when they want to be just like mommy. As Annabelle gets older, those moments are fewer and farther between though she does slip up every once in awhile when she wants to "dress like a mommy."
This evening Sophia found a popsicle stick on the floor and proceeded to file all of our fingernails including her own. She even attempted to file her own toe nails.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
LHFHG - Unit 17, Day 3 (Math)
We've had a rough start to homeschooling. I innocently overbooked us during Annabelle's Kindergarten year...all in the interest of socialization! I let the world tell me what is important instead of seeking answers from God. I have vowed that next year will be different, and I strongly feel that God has led me to make these changes.
After a very busy May, we kicked off the summer with a family beach trip to Myrtle Beach and VBS the following week. And this week, school resumed! She isn't too thrilled that she has to do school while all her friends are out on break. But she pulled through the week with a very positive attitude. Right now, we are focusing on Phonics, Fine Motor Skills (Handwriting, etc.) and Math on a daily basis. She has Music Camp scheduled at the church next week, so we'll resume full-speed with Little Hearts for His Glory the following week.
But with the help of the LHFHG guide, I put on my creative cap to expand just a little on one of the lessons. She LOVED this activity! And I thought it turned out pretty cute myself.
I used Jif peanut butter lids (red) and milk lids (colored centers) with the numbers written on them. She had to match the milk lids with the stem of the flower. And then she added the correct number of marshmallows and/or M&M's. I was so surprised at how well she could match up the number words with the actual numbers. We left off learning the number words weeks ago!
And of course Sophia got to join in on the fun too! She requested that I take her picture for this shot. This is my child that rarely ever smiles for the camera too...apparently only on her own accord. I tried to teach her to make a pattern with her goodies, but she just wanted to make a pretty flower.
After a very busy May, we kicked off the summer with a family beach trip to Myrtle Beach and VBS the following week. And this week, school resumed! She isn't too thrilled that she has to do school while all her friends are out on break. But she pulled through the week with a very positive attitude. Right now, we are focusing on Phonics, Fine Motor Skills (Handwriting, etc.) and Math on a daily basis. She has Music Camp scheduled at the church next week, so we'll resume full-speed with Little Hearts for His Glory the following week.
But with the help of the LHFHG guide, I put on my creative cap to expand just a little on one of the lessons. She LOVED this activity! And I thought it turned out pretty cute myself.
I used Jif peanut butter lids (red) and milk lids (colored centers) with the numbers written on them. She had to match the milk lids with the stem of the flower. And then she added the correct number of marshmallows and/or M&M's. I was so surprised at how well she could match up the number words with the actual numbers. We left off learning the number words weeks ago!
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| Pictured with her M&M sandwich in hand! And look at that dimple! |
And of course Sophia got to join in on the fun too! She requested that I take her picture for this shot. This is my child that rarely ever smiles for the camera too...apparently only on her own accord. I tried to teach her to make a pattern with her goodies, but she just wanted to make a pretty flower.
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| I just love that sweet smile! |
Friday, March 1, 2013
Corduroy
I haven't blogged in months! I'm not sure why as it brings me much joy to share our journey with others, especially to encourage those who feel that God has led them to homeschool. I am really loving Heart of Dakota, and I want to share it with everyone I know though I know curriculum choices have to fit the family personally.
Anyhow, as my baby is inching closer and closer to three years old, I am realizing that she is growing up way too fast and I'd hate to forget everything about her younger years when she's grown. I feel that so much of my day is filled with cooking, cleaning and schooling Annabelle that Sophia is just along for the ride. Unfortunately, I don't have those hours I had with Annabelle to read and play constantly.
After Annabelle's storytime lesson every day, I try to fit in a little storytime for Sophia as well. I encourage her to go choose a book. And she often comes back with the same books. You know a book is a great book when you can read it over and over and over again and still love it!
Right now, Sophia's favorite books are Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman. I remember loving Corduroy myself when I was a little girl. She often brings both of them to me at the same time. Annabelle doesn't have the same love for Corduroy as Sophia and I do though. She always says, "Corduroy! Not again!" and then promptly leaves my lap to go play. This is very unlike Annabelle to miss out on any story!
But what makes this time so special is that we always wrap up this Corduroy storytime with A Pocket for Corduroy, and the very last page has a picture of Corduroy and Lisa nuzzling noses. Sophia always wants to nuzzle noses with me just like Corduroy and Lisa do in the story. But, she insists that we keep our noses still! Eskimo kisses are not allowed! She tells me that Corduroy and Lisa are not moving their noses in the picture. This always cracks me up that she follows what she sees pictured so closely!
Dear Sophia,
I love our special storytime together! And I love to get my Corduroy kisses from you! I know one day you will stop pulling the Corduroy books off the shelf. And the Corduroy kisses will come to a screeching halt as well. But maybe one day when you read A Pocket for Corduroy as a mama to your young child, you'll enjoy some more Corduroy kisses with your own special little one!
I love you sweet girl!
Mommy
Anyhow, as my baby is inching closer and closer to three years old, I am realizing that she is growing up way too fast and I'd hate to forget everything about her younger years when she's grown. I feel that so much of my day is filled with cooking, cleaning and schooling Annabelle that Sophia is just along for the ride. Unfortunately, I don't have those hours I had with Annabelle to read and play constantly.
After Annabelle's storytime lesson every day, I try to fit in a little storytime for Sophia as well. I encourage her to go choose a book. And she often comes back with the same books. You know a book is a great book when you can read it over and over and over again and still love it!
Right now, Sophia's favorite books are Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman. I remember loving Corduroy myself when I was a little girl. She often brings both of them to me at the same time. Annabelle doesn't have the same love for Corduroy as Sophia and I do though. She always says, "Corduroy! Not again!" and then promptly leaves my lap to go play. This is very unlike Annabelle to miss out on any story!
But what makes this time so special is that we always wrap up this Corduroy storytime with A Pocket for Corduroy, and the very last page has a picture of Corduroy and Lisa nuzzling noses. Sophia always wants to nuzzle noses with me just like Corduroy and Lisa do in the story. But, she insists that we keep our noses still! Eskimo kisses are not allowed! She tells me that Corduroy and Lisa are not moving their noses in the picture. This always cracks me up that she follows what she sees pictured so closely!
Dear Sophia,
I love our special storytime together! And I love to get my Corduroy kisses from you! I know one day you will stop pulling the Corduroy books off the shelf. And the Corduroy kisses will come to a screeching halt as well. But maybe one day when you read A Pocket for Corduroy as a mama to your young child, you'll enjoy some more Corduroy kisses with your own special little one!
I love you sweet girl!
Mommy
Monday, September 10, 2012
LHFHG - Unit 5
This curriculum just keeps getting better! Yes it has been almost a month since we started back in Unit 4 of LHFHG, but we've definitely been enjoying our journey! In late August/early September we ventured into potty training for Sophia (which was very successful I might add), camping and the beginning of our extracurricular activities. But, we're still weird! Not unsocialized, but definitely still weird! ;)
Annabelle has ballet on Mondays, Community Bible Study (for ALL of us) on Wednesdays, choir on Wednesdays (at night) and an art class on Friday. While Annabelle attends choir on Wednesday evenings and Sophia gets to play with Ms. Becky and Ms. Eva (she LOVES them), I get the privilege of making our very own Jesse Tree (to help us celebrate advent this year) through a workshop at the church.
Annabelle is truly enjoying everything, though I am convinced that the Community Bible Study is by far her favorite! And even Sophia is enjoying herself as she sings her Bible verse right along with me and her big sister. Sophia talks constantly about her teachers, "Miss Manda and Miss Awison (aka Ms. Amanda and Ms. Allison).
Annabelle was coloring with colored pencils while I read the Bible Story of Pharaoh chasing the Israelites and God parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:5-8, 21-31). And when the story said, "Then the pillar of cloud went behind them and stood between the Egyptians and the Israelites," I grabbed the colored pencils and used them as props. The white colored pencil is the pillar of cloud that went before the Israelites after God parted the Red Sea (blue colored pencils). The brown colored pencil is the path of dry land. The silver mechanical pencil is the Israelites. The gray colored pencil is the dark pillar of cloud in front of the Egyptians. And, the Hello Kitty pencil in the very back represents the Egyptians. She really enjoyed the props, and the story lines regarding the pillars of cloud made a lot more sense to me when I illustrated the story using these props!
During this unit we made our own golden calves using edible peanut butter play dough that we made from scratch! And, yes, we even ate them! This was the artistic expression activity to go along with the people making idols out of gold while Moses was on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 32:1-4, 19-20, 30-34). So since Moses melted the gold and made them drink the gold, we ate ours too. Though our golden calves did not taste bitter. As we were making the golden calves, Annabelle asked if we were going to put them in water and drink them (just as Moses made them do).
Annabelle has ballet on Mondays, Community Bible Study (for ALL of us) on Wednesdays, choir on Wednesdays (at night) and an art class on Friday. While Annabelle attends choir on Wednesday evenings and Sophia gets to play with Ms. Becky and Ms. Eva (she LOVES them), I get the privilege of making our very own Jesse Tree (to help us celebrate advent this year) through a workshop at the church.
Annabelle is truly enjoying everything, though I am convinced that the Community Bible Study is by far her favorite! And even Sophia is enjoying herself as she sings her Bible verse right along with me and her big sister. Sophia talks constantly about her teachers, "Miss Manda and Miss Awison (aka Ms. Amanda and Ms. Allison).
Annabelle was coloring with colored pencils while I read the Bible Story of Pharaoh chasing the Israelites and God parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:5-8, 21-31). And when the story said, "Then the pillar of cloud went behind them and stood between the Egyptians and the Israelites," I grabbed the colored pencils and used them as props. The white colored pencil is the pillar of cloud that went before the Israelites after God parted the Red Sea (blue colored pencils). The brown colored pencil is the path of dry land. The silver mechanical pencil is the Israelites. The gray colored pencil is the dark pillar of cloud in front of the Egyptians. And, the Hello Kitty pencil in the very back represents the Egyptians. She really enjoyed the props, and the story lines regarding the pillars of cloud made a lot more sense to me when I illustrated the story using these props!
During this unit we made our own golden calves using edible peanut butter play dough that we made from scratch! And, yes, we even ate them! This was the artistic expression activity to go along with the people making idols out of gold while Moses was on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 32:1-4, 19-20, 30-34). So since Moses melted the gold and made them drink the gold, we ate ours too. Though our golden calves did not taste bitter. As we were making the golden calves, Annabelle asked if we were going to put them in water and drink them (just as Moses made them do).
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Katydid
I LOVE the great outdoors! Though it is often very difficult for me to enjoy the beauty of nature with all of life's distractions. But when we let loose, and we are released from the pressures of our everyday, God makes Himself known to us! And it even feels good to get a little dirty and stay a little dirty for 5 days straight. It makes you appreciate a hot shower with plenty of soap and shampoo!
While camping for four nights, we spotted a black bear, a coyote, many beautiful caterpillars, wild turkeys, a yellow necklaced snake, inchworms, and a Katydid (which I originally thought was a grasshopper until my friend just recently posted on Facebook that they had also just sighted one at their house)! And Andy also had a brown snake swim through his legs in the river! I'm glad I missed out on that one! We spotted the coyote approximately 20 feet from our campfire one late evening around 11 p.m. I am pretty sure he smelled my pound cake smothered in chocolate, marshmallows and butterscotch.
And our Katydid that we found in the evening actually hung around until morning as well! So both girls got to enjoy the beauty of the Katydid! I am pretty sure he was attracted to our lantern in the evening. I am not sure why he didn't leave before dawn though.
Sophia was excited to see the black bear in the tree until he moved his head! Then she clung to me and said, "I don't like him!" She told everyone she knew later that when the bear moved his head she didn't like him and she held onto mommy. I am guessing she expected the bear that everyone in the campsite was running to see was a big stuffed bear. Bless her little heart! She was definitely a trooper!
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| "To meet a Katydid in person is to experience an amazing event, definitely on par with sighting an elusive lizard or small exquisite bird." http://www.drycreekgarden.com/science/entomology/katydid.cfm |
And our Katydid that we found in the evening actually hung around until morning as well! So both girls got to enjoy the beauty of the Katydid! I am pretty sure he was attracted to our lantern in the evening. I am not sure why he didn't leave before dawn though.
Sophia was excited to see the black bear in the tree until he moved his head! Then she clung to me and said, "I don't like him!" She told everyone she knew later that when the bear moved his head she didn't like him and she held onto mommy. I am guessing she expected the bear that everyone in the campsite was running to see was a big stuffed bear. Bless her little heart! She was definitely a trooper!
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